How does encouraging ad blocker usage lead to long term growth?
No one is suggesting Google should encourage anything. Openly user-hostile actions devalue brand and trust. That's doubly-true for power users who are thought leaders.
If Walmart has store security shoot suspected shoplifters and unionizers with a 9mm, discontinuing that policy would not be encouraging unions or shoplifting.
This is a straw man. I obviously didn't mean that I thought you suggested that Google should explicitly tell people to use ad-blockers.
Now tell me how not doing anything to discourage people from blocking YouTube ads supports Google's long term interests. Or tell me how they could discourage people from blocking their ads without "[devaluing] brand and trust."
Google maintains a monopoly and their brand. Profits are entire the of percent lower by the few power users who use all blockers. Big-O profits remain similar.
That contrasts with real competition, brand loss, or monopoly loss. That can lead to astronomically lower profits.